The Serpent's Trap
by Takara Ravenheart
Summary: Chamber of Secrets AU. What if Ron became targeted by Tom Riddle through his diary and Harry was the one to save him from the Chamber? As Ron is cleverly lured into Tom Riddle's trap through the weakness of mind, can Harry save his best friend before he loses him forever.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first Harry Potter fanfiction and it is an AU, starting from second year. This starts when the trio find Tom Riddle's diary. Also, bold italics will be Ron's part, while normal italics will be Tom's.

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><p><span><strong>Chapter One: Only One Who Understands You<strong>

Ron looked around, bewildered at how bad the toilet looked and went forward to search around the fallen equipment along with Harry. He got a hold of a battered looking diary. As soon as he grabbed it, a strange feeling circulated him, as if something were physically crushing his heart.

"Ron, are you okay?" Hermione asked.

Ron snapped out of his thoughts, seeing Harry look up from his searching as well to look at him.

"Y-yeah I'm fine," Ron said. "I found this diary." He held it out. "There's something strange about it."

Harry reached out to it but Hermione made an alarmed squeak.

"Harry, I don't think you should touch that," Hermione said and Ron noticed she looked very alarmed.

Harry looked puzzled. "Why? It's just a diary."

"Someone tried to get rid of it," Ron said, looking around at the mess again. "I'll ask Percy or the twins, they'd know more than I would, mate."

Harry nodded. "Okay, just be careful ok?"

Ron smiled, shrugging. "I'll be fine."

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><p>That afternoon, despite Hermione's warnings earlier and Harry's worry about him, Ron opened the diary. It was a diary, what harm could it do?<p>

_Ron, it could do plenty of harm, put it down and go ask your brothers _Hermione's voice scolded in his head.

_Ron, be careful ok? _Harry's concerned face floated at the back of his mind.

His friends, mostly Hermione were worried about the diary. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age, Harry was pretty smart too, at least in his opinion. If both his smarter best friends were advising against it, he should listen right? However, before he could close the book, writing began to appear._Hello Ronald Weasley, I am Tom Marvolo Riddle.  
><em>

Ron stared for a moment at blankly at the diary. It had written itself! Not to mention, it had written his name. Without thinking more on it, he wrote what was on his mind.

_Hi Tom. How do you know my name? I mean, you're a book and this is bloody confusing._

As soon as Ron wrote the text, it disappeared causing the redhead to blink. He had never seen anything like this. It was brilliant. Either he was losing his mind or a book was talking to him by name. This was messed up however he drummed his fingers, wishing the reply would just hurry up and appear in front of him.

_I'm not a book. I am a memory of a person locked inside this book. I have been trying to reach you for awhile._

**_Why me? I mean, I'm nothing special. That's Harry, he's the Boy Who Lived or Hermione, she's really smart._**

_I disagree with that. I think you're more special than them both. You have a stronger heart, a stronger sense of loyalty. Yet, still no one ever sees that. Not even them.  
><em>

**_That isn't true! Harry and Hermione appreciate me._**

_Do they? They always look to one another for answers. You're not smart enough to help them plan. The third member, the sideling, the unneeded one, that's all they think. And your mother, who was so disappointed at your birth. Wanting a little girl instead.  
><em>

Ron felt his hands tremble as he tried to close the diary but it wouldn't close. This wasn't true. He needed to throw this diary away. He couldn't listen. Images of Harry and Hermione laughing together, being happy while he was no where. He saw Hermione assisting Harry with his homework, brushing him off to talk to Harry. The images then changed to his mother, holding Ginny close, whispering and gushing about how proud she was, laughing at the twins, praising Percy for being the perfect son he was. But where was he? He wasn't anywhere on that list. Maybe...maybe Tom was right. Maybe he was unneeded.

_You are unneeded by them. But I can understand you. I can give you the recognition you so desperately desire. _**I **_can give you power to be loved, to be feared. I _**understand **_how you feel. Been there once myself._

Ron exhaled at those words. They didn't disappear. At least, they didn't disappear from his head even if they didn't from the diary. He wanted his mother to see him, not Ginny, not Fred, not George, not anyone else! Him. It was wrong.

'This could all be a trick, turn back now' he could hear Hermione saying in his head.

'Ron, don't listen, you're my best friend, you're the most important, don't give in' Harry's strong but firm voice revolved around his head.

He almost listened to his friend's voices when those images returned. Harry and Hermione laughing together, having fun together in a place where he didn't belong. His heart clenched. Which was the truth and which was the lie? He didn't know what to think. Who to believe. Harry had been so concerned for him when he had been about to sacrifice himself in the Chess game and Hermione looked near tears.

_Just an act. Give me control of you, your mind, everything and I'll make things better. I'll do what a_ **real **_friend should do._

Ron closed his eyes. His mind wavered a little, thinking of his friends but the thought that they'd be better off without him, the thought that his mother would be happier if he had never been born, pierced through his heart as if someone had cast the world's most painful curse on him. Unable to handle this pain, he wrote back.

_Take control. Take it._

It was almost as if he had signed some sort of contract then as a dark feeling enveloped inside him and the redhead felt as if he were going to puke. His heart seared with more pain then ever as it felt like he was being bitten repeatedly all over. Then just as suddenly as the pain had come, it ebbed and a numb feeling enveloped his mind, darkness pulling him in and he knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

_Hey everyone! I was inspired to continue this because of Pepper1622's Characters Read and I'm enjoying people's feedback._

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><p><span><strong>Chapter Two: The Chamber of Secrets<strong>

Harry was worried. For the first time, when things were going wrong, his two best friends weren't around to help him. Hermione had been petrified and was in the Hospital Wing and Ron…he didn't know what was wrong with his best friend. Everytime he saw him, he would flee from the room. Right now, Harry was walking through the corridors and entered the Great Hall. Harry's gaze hurriedly swept over the room, searching for the red-haired boy that he had befriended that very first day.

He didn't see him.

He saw the other Weasleys; Ginny, and her older brothers. But Ron wasn't in their midst. A sinking feeling filled inside his stomach as if something was horribly wrong. _It's just bad intuition, that's all. Ron's fine, he's fine. _He opened his mouth to ask Ginny or the twins where Ron was but before he could, Mcgonagall's worried voice filled the halls.

Harry sighed, gritting his teeth, but let his eyes wander up to McGonagall, who rose to her feet with a grim expression on her visage.

"Silence, please," she spoke, addressing the murmurs that still rippled through the Hall. They fell quiet. "I'm sure you are wondering why you've been called here. All of you is aware of what has been happening lately, with our students. We have confirmed what is happening, and I am afraid the situation has become even more dire."

She paused as more whispers bloomed.

"The Chhamber of Secrets has been opened," McGonagall continued. She ignored the whispers this time. "And one of our students has been taken."

Her gaze landed briefly on the Weasleys and Harry.

Harry felt the twins stiffen besides him and Ginny let out an alarmed cry, looking like she was going to faint.

"Ronald Weasley has been taken into the Chamber."

Harry had to keep himself from shouting. It couldn't be true. Then, he remembered the diary. _Oh, Ron, you git. You should have listened to us…_

It wasn't like Ron to look at an object that Hermione had claimed was dangerous but then again, they should have never left him alone with it. What if it had done something to him? But it was a diary…this was confusing. Honestly, with Hermione around to explain things, everything was always a lot easier but now, he felt lost. Ron was in the Chamber in god knows what condition…what if Ron was…? No, he can't be. Harry mentally scolded himself for thinking that but couldn't help the foreboding feeling in his chest. But no, not Ron too, he didn't want to lose Ron as well.

Maybe it was his fault. Maybe if he hadn't been Ron's best friend, Ron wouldn't have been targeted. Maybe if he had forced Ron to give him the diary, then everything would be okay. For god's sake, Ron had a family. Molly Weasley would be in tears if anything happened to him. No, nothing could happen. He would make sure nothing did.

Ginny rushed over to him. "Did Ron find the diary?"

Harry blinked at her, hope surging in his chest. "Yeah, he did. Why? Do you know something about that diary, Ginny?" If she knew, maybe she could help him find Ron. He had to find him no matter what. He needed to save him, who knew what condition his best friend was in right now?

"Do you guys know why Ron's been..." George's voice was quiet and almost guilt-ridden. Harry realized the twins were more somber than he had ever seen them. Not that Harry could blame them. No matter how Ron thought and despite the fact their dynamic was a bit strange, he was still their baby brother.

"Tom Riddle's dragged him down to the Chamber," Ginny said anxiously looking to Harry and the twins. "It uses a person's worst fears against them and feeds on those weaknesses."

Harry paled, hearing that. Worst fears? He knew Ron was scared of spiders but was that enough to weaken him so Tom Riddle to drag him down to the Chamber. His thoughts drifted back to first year and what Ron had told him.

"_I see myself becoming Head Boy," Ron had said. "Mum is really proud of me, says I'm better. She's happy with me."_

Harry knew then, remembering that. Spiders weren't Ron's worst fear, but it wasn't that which Tom Riddle was feeding upon. His worst fear was being left behind, not only with his family but with the two of them as well. Hermione was the brightest witch of her age and Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived. Both of them got a lot of attention around Hogwarts because of that. Not that he at least wanted the attention. Hermione certainly enjoyed being called the brightest witch of her age, but even she cared for Ron more than anything.

_There are things he can do that Hermione and I can't _Harry thought. _I'm not going to let him think otherwise._

"Ginny, can you come with me to the Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked the youngest Weasley.

Both the twins burst out into protests at that but Harry raised a hand.

"I know you don't want Ginny to come," He said quietly. "But right now, if she doesn't help me, you might as well as be choosing between Ron and Ginny." He looked both Fred and George in the eye. "So tell me, who do you choose out of them? To save Ron's life or to protect Ginny?"

Fred and George spluttered, for once looking as if they were struck between indignation and protest. Ginny spoke before either of them could say anything.

"I'll come with you," Ginny said, sounding stronger than Harry had ever heard from her. "Fred, George, that diary contacted me first. Tom Riddle spoke to me first. I know how he works. It's dangerous. He's dangerous. But Ron's our brother. Our precious family. Why don't we all go with Harry?"

Fred stared at her. "Ginny…"

George smiled a little. "That's a good idea actually."

Fred nodded. "Harry, we're coming too."

Harry stared at the three Weasleys, his face breaking out into a small smile. "Okay. Ron would be happy to know that."


End file.
